What I remember as a fun neighborhood game as a kid or sport we played in gym class in elementary school has become an increasingly popular activity among adults throughout Alabama.

Kickball leagues in multiple Alabama cities have taken off and continue to grow, and you can join in the fun as well.

All about kickball

I am sure all of you have played kickball at some time or another in your lives. This is essentially a derivative of baseball, but instead of throwing a ball in the air to be hit with a bat, the ball is rolled and the kicked by the “batter.”

Most other baseball rules apply.

Although the exact year the game was invented is not certain, most sources agree that the game was — like baseball — invented in the United States, and has been played for more than 100 years.

As well, the origin of the game is often cited as coming from The Playground Book, published in the early 1910s by Nicholas C. Seuss — a supervisor with Cincinnati Park Playgrounds.

Whether Seuss is the actual inventor of kickball is up for debate but the existence of kickball in the early 20th century is well documented. Learn more about the history and rules of the sport at the World Kickball Association website.

Alabama kickball leagues

Multiple Alabama communities offer organized leagues for adults, and for many of these leagues, sign-ups begin this month as the games are usually played in the spring and early summer.

Like adult softball, tennis or soccer leagues, these leagues can be either co-ed or gender specific, so make sure you know what you;re signing up for.

Here are some leagues in Alabama (click the links for registration information):